The CTR Is envisioned to be a large short line, similar to
Green Bay and Western or the Susquehanna. Loosely based on a single track railroad
(with passing sidings) diagonally across the middle of Connecticut using existing
and/or abandoned New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad right-of-way. HistoricalMap.

Basically, the route will go from a rebuilt Poughkeepsie Bridge on the Hudson
River in New York State to Brewster via trackage rights on Conrail. In Connecticut,
CTR will continue to share track with Conrail through Danbury (and its MNCR
connection) to Hawleysville. From here, the mainline follows now abandoned right-of-way
through to Waterbury. The Watertown branch will be operated as well as a local
or two down the Naugatuck line to Devon. This latter operation will be shared
with Guilford (mostly Boston & Maine, with some Springfield Terminal) and
MNCR. The mainline will continue east of Waterbury on currently abandoned right-of-way
through Meridon (CR and Amtrak connection) to Middletown via a new cutoff at
Westfield. A branch will follow the Connecticut River north to Hartford, sharing
some right-of-way with Guilford and some with Conrail. Another branch will run
south to New London on what used to be the Hartford and Connecticut Valley right-of-way,
but what is now sometimes operated by the Essex Railroad, a tourist short line,
and will connect with Amtrak, Conrail, and Providence and Worcester in the town
of Old Saybrook. The mainline will cross the Connecticut river to Portland and
continue east along the old Boston and New York Airline right-of-way, which
up until this point has been long abandoned. The Colchester branch is to be
reactivated, with its connection at Amston.
At Willimantic, the mainline will split. The northeastern fork continues on
the old Airline to Putnam (crossing the Providence and Worcester) and through
to a Conrail connection at Franklin, Massachusetts, and onward to Boston on
Conrail trackage rights. This line will probably carry the majority of the unit
trains that will bridge the state of Connecticut. The southeastern fork will
drop down a little along shared P&W right-of-way, heading east to cross
the old Norwich & Worcester mainline at Plainfield and continues east to
Providence, Rhode Island. Central Vermont (and the Canadian National railroads)
and Amtrak cross at Willimantic, as does the P&W. For details, see the Route
Map.

Freights will be run on a train order basis, as needed by customers. Industries
will be switch by drills, crews sent to switch only. These switch crews will
be served by small peddler freights that will set out and pick up freight cars
at appropriate passing sidings. There are currently no on line industries in
need of dedicated unit trains. Bridge traffic will consist of through Conrail
or Guilford COFC/TOFC and/or Auto-rack/Auto-Parts trains, that will hold priority
over local trains. The Connecticut Yankee, a luxury train powered by a matched set of Alco
A-B-B-A PA-2 locomotives, will run weekly from Hartford, CT to Venice, FL on Mondays and return to Hartford on Thursdays. There will also be adequate equipment for business specials and inspection trains. Steam excursions are possible, as well.
Amtrak and Metro-North Commuter Railroad (MNCR) will provide the bulk of the
intercity passenger service, with some connecting service provided by CTR RDC's.

Equipment: CTR locomotives will be predominantly late model
Alco, with some hybrid EMD. See roster. Some NorthEastern RailRoad
Museum (NERRM) locomotives (working museum pieces from fallen-flag Northeastern
railroads) will be leased on an as needed basis to fill out power requirements
during traffic peaks. Anachronistic use of bay window and extended
vision cabeese continues (to match locomotives when possible), with
some experimentation with electronic train-end devices. Home road revenue equipment
will include 50' boxcars,60' gondolas, 50' covered hoppers,
90' trailer flats, and assorted maintenance of way equipment. Modern streamlined
passenger equipment should include adequate sleeping and dining accommodations
and vista-dome facilities, all painted to CTR standards (see passenger
car roster). A small fleet of RDC-1
and RDC-3 self-propelled
passenger cars will provide some connecting commuter services.

Non-corporate connections will include Ironco (a scrap metal dealer), A.A.& K. (Anaheim, Asooza, and Kookamonga, a short line common carrier), Conrail,
Providence and Worcester, Guilford (B&M, MEC, Springfield Terminal), Central
Vermont (w/CN), CP Rail (w/ D&H), Shore Line East, Connecticut Central,
and others. Though not physically connected, Andersonapolis
Railroad equipment will make frequent appearances on line. The
Connecticut Yankee will operate in cooperation with the Lakeside
Central (based in Tallahassee FL) and LC equipment frequently will operate on
CTR rails. NERRM will lease equipment to CTR on occasion to alleviate power
shortages and will run steam and diesel excursions on CTR right-of-way with
CTR blessings.

The modeled portion of the CTR will be a double deck layout. Phase 1, which
includes the 1st and Hidden Levels will ostensibly represent Poughkeepsie (the
Hidden Level) to Middleton (near the helix), is currently under
construction. Cities modeled will include Hawleysville (Conrail connection,
beginning of 1st Level), Waterbury, Waterville, and Meriden. The basic layout
is a single track folded dog bone with assorted industrial and passing sidings
(Phase
I ). The city of Waterbury will include a major freight yard, engine
yard with turntable, and a passenger yard. Industries to be served by Phase
1 are shown by location at this link.Phase
2 will model the forking mainline, to some extent. Two point-to-point
lines will diverge from Willimantic at the exit from the helix. The Northeastern
Fork will pass through the modeled cities of Hampton, Pomfret and Putnam before
exiting to the hidden yard at Boston. The Southeastern Fork passes through South
Windham (Central Vermont connection), Baltic, and ends at the Providence and
Worcester connection at Canterbury/Jewett City. A small yard and engine facility
will be included at the last mentioned city. The industries in Phase 2 are shown
by location at thislink.

Bridge traffic will run from staging yard to staging yard, as will the Passenger
train. All peddlers and switching crews will be based out of Waterbury Yard.
A specific operating system has not yet been selected, but at the present time
management is leaning toward the car card system with computer generated switch
lists for the yardmaster. Some kind of random generator may be used to provide
industrial demands.
Crew requirements should be as follows: Road Freights - Engineer & Brakeman;
Specials (passenger and unit train) - Engineer; Yardmaster. A Dispatcher may
be added when the computer comes online to control track detection and signals.
His duty would also be to add situations to the session. As yet, a fast clock
has not been deemed necessary.

All passing sidings (double ended sidings) operate on a right
hand rule:
1. Unless otherwise indicated by supervisor, all trains must use right track
when entering passing sidings. All switches will be set to facilitate this movement.
2. In the absence of spring switches on passing sidings, or unless otherwise
indicated by supervisor, all crews must reset trailing switches to maintain
right hand rule for opposing traffic. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary
action.

If passing sidings are to be used to facilitate switching
of nearby industries, all effort should be made to avoid fouling the through
track. Any necessary encroachment of through trackage should first be cleared
by supervisor before movement is made.

If traffic and/or supervisor deem necessary, passing sidings
may be used for storage of freight cars for peddler freight pick-ups or set-outs.
They may not be used for long term storage or lading transfer.

Access to any hidden areas limited to one (1) train at a time
and strictly regulated by supervisor in order to avoid cornfield meets in the
dark where none may see the results. In the case of hidden yards, only one train
may move at a time, though others may reside on specified storage tracks.

No storage of trains will be allowed on the helix.

No storage of trains will be allowed on through/distribution
tracks of hidden yards. Volume of stored trains is not to exceed capacity of
yard, and yard switches are not to be fouled by stored freight cars.

All trains, with the exception of drill (or local switching)
trains, will operate with adequate "horsepower" rated to pull twice
the "actual" tonnage of the individual train.
1. Tonnage ratings to be found on engine card.
2. Switching may be done with single road engine.

Locomotive lash-ups are to be limited to regionally adjacent
railroads:
1. CTR engines may be grouped with Conrail, Guilford, CV, Andersonapolis, Providence
& Worcester, Central Connecticut, Short Line East, or any NERRM engine.
2. North Eastern Railroad Museum locomotives should be grouped geographically,
or in original partnerships wherever possible.

Each train will have a caboose that matches at least one of the locomotives.

The CTR originally stood for "Choose The Right", a reference to a
motto of sorts for very young members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday
Saints (often referred to as Mormons). The initials were sketched on a doodle
made of a CF-7-like hybrid engine during some down time while I was training
to be an Italian speaking missionary in Provo Utah way back in 1977. That doodle
stayed with me for a long time, and was eventually redone in felt-tip pen. The
name "Connecticut Transfer Railway" seemed to fit without effort,
especially as I studied the terrain through which the railroad was to go. Eventually
the roster grew to the Alco dominated stable it is now, but it all started with
the engine pictured at the top of the page as a simple sketch.

I ask nothing for posted drawings to be displayed on personal sites, as long
as permission is granted from the owner (me or another posted artist) and credit
is given.